Henry gustave rogers



(No Model.)

H. G. ROGERS. AUTOMATIC VBNDING MACHINE.

110.418,071. Patented Deo. 221, 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY `GUSTAVE ROGERS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

AUTOMATIC VENDING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NIO. 418,071, dated December 24, 188.9.

Application led April 6. 1889. Serial No. 306,243. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom z5 may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY GUsTAvE Roe.- ERs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Vending-Machines; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates` to coin-operated devices or apparatus in general, but more particularly to the class of devices known as automatic vending-machines, which are contrived, upon deposit of a coin of definite value, to deliver1 to the purchaser an article of small size, such as a cigar, a package of candy or of cigarettes, or the like.

All apparatus of this character depend for their commercial value to a greater or less extent upon the novelty and interesting na- I t-ure of the mechanical actions started by the deposit of the coin. In fact, many such apparatus depend entirely upon the interest created in their operation as an inducement to the public to depositI coins therein. It follows that the more complex, interesting, and seemingly diflicult or wonderful the mechanical actions of the machine the more likely is `it to lind customers for the wares therein conthe articles to be sold, the disk or holder being controlled by an escapement adapted to be released by the action of an electro-magnet. A lever is arranged in the case, having va coin-basket von its end, the weight of the coin causing the lever to oscillate on its center until a point is reached where the coin falls out of the basket. The lever in its descent closes the circuit of the controllingmagnet above mentioned, causing the package-holder to rotate sufficiently to discharge one of the articles it contains. The

motion of the coin-operated lever is also imparted to an oscillatory die-holder or dice-box' containing one or more dice, which are exposed to full view and are shaken each time a coin is deposited. The dice are circuit-controllers, carrying on some of their faces metallic bridges adapted to close an electric circuit whose open terminals are in the bottom of the dice box or holder. This circuit includes an electro-magnet, the motion of the armature of which may be utilized to start a music-box into operation or to perform any other desired operation. This portion of the invention is susceptible of infinite variation, the object being to attract attention and gratify curiosity. An electric circuit and a circuit-controller in the form of a die may be applied to any known mechanical die-shaker, of which a number have been `heretofore devised and patented.

Inasmuch as there is no visible connection between the diceeholder and the music-box or other apparatus actuated by the electro-magnet, the former being supported on a slender rod outside the case of the machine, and as the dice do not differ in appearance from ordinary dice, the operation of the music-box or other apparatus at such times as certain faces of the dice are exposed, and not otherwise, tends to mystify on-lookers, and affords much gratification and amusement. Y

The accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, illustrate the manner in which the invention may be carried preventing the running doWnof the battery. Fig. 5 is a side view of the same. Fig. 6 is a detail showing the dice.

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side of the coin-basket.

A is the outer casing or stand of the apparatus, which may be provided with a door, for the purpose of internal examination and for collecting the coins dropped into the machine.

B is a tube to support the bearings of the holder. (Shownin the drawings asa hand.) h is a metal head, to which a metal rod Z2 is attached, extending from it horizontally.

C is the hand, which comprises also apart of the wrist, and may be constructed of any suitably-light material-such as wax, celluloid, papier-mach-or of a thin skin of cop per or fther metal deposited on a wax form by electrolysis,which form may be afterward melted out. The fingers c of the hand are shaped to hold a box or tablet with turnedup edges, and in shape the hand should be made so as tobalance itself as well as possible in its bearings.

c is a metal tube firmly attached to the hand at c2 and at c3, and extending beyond the wrist, as shown. A bushing maybe placed in it at either end and a round aperture formed in the bushing to permit of the hand being' swung on the rod b with as little fric tion as possible. To attach the tube c to the wrist part of the hand, a thin plate of hard rubber may be made use of. To this plate is fastened a wire loop c4, by means of which the hand will be oscillated.

D is a rod located within the tube and adapted to rotate. At its upper end is provided a bent pin or crank d, which engages with the slotted plate ci. At its lower end the rod has keyed or screwed to it a beveled pinion d and is set in a socket or bearing cl2.

E is a coin-actuated lever journaled between points to diminish the friction of its bearings, and has at one end the adjustable counterbalance weight c and at the other the coin-basket e', which is constructed with an opening or slot c2, of apsize sufficient to allow the passage of a coin of smaller dimensionsthan the one necessary to depress the lever without influencing the latter.

e3 is a platinum wire attached to the under A The position of the bearings of the lever E should be about onesixth from the weighted end, and the value of the weight e must be such that a coin of #predetermined weight introduced into the the lever E and engaging with the pinion d.

At a point somewhere between the pivotal point of the lever E and the weighted end is a platinum wire c3, projecting downward a distance of three-quarters of an inch or more and adjusted to descend into a mercury-cup c4. In making up the connections the circuit is carried through the platinum wire and the mercury-cup when the lever is in normal condition-z'. e., with the weighted end down-and it is broken at this point when the other end of the coin-lever is down, the purmaterial pose being to remove any chance of the cubes momentarily closing the circuit as they are in the act of shaking.

F is abox made of any light non-conducting such as ivory, hard rubber, celluloid, or well-seasoned wood-and is in the form of a tablet having aseries of pins f, placed vertically along its edges and corresponding t0 the sides of a box to prevent the dice falling off.

Vhen it is desired to use two dice, it is necessary to place a partition f in the box, which divides it into two compartments. The partition f may be formed of vertical pins, and as the dice are thrown against them by the oscillation of the box they are thereby caused to turn around, and a greater variety ot' combinations will ensue. Points f2, protruding upward from the bottom of the box, will also assist in causing the dice to turn over as they move from side to side. In the bottom of the box are metal terminal strips f3, which are connected to the battery and makefan open circuit through the wires fl andf.

G represents one of the cubes constructed with an electrical conducting piece. The conducting-piece maybe formed of copper or silver wires C, let into the body of the cube, as shown in Fig. 6, and forming a metallic bridge from one side of the face of the cube to the other side of the same face. In this manner, when any other face but the one opposite the bridged side falls uppermost, the circuit will not be closed, while, when the right face is displayed, the electric current will pass through the conducting-wires and close the circuit. vInstead of metal wires being used, the channels in the cubes may be filled with amalgam, such as is used by dentists. This method of constructing the cubes may be preferable, and as the amalgam presents a somewhat rough surface the electric connection will be more easily secured. The faces of the cubes should be colored or stained of different tints, so that when the faces opposite those .having the metallic bridge are displayed uppermost they may be readily observed.

H is the musical box, of ordinary form, having a detent h, the end of which is adapted to arrest the spindle of the music-box and prevent it from playing. At the other end of the detent is an armature h4, and attached to the casing of the apparatus is a magnet I, which is arranged to draw the armature of the detent and thereby allow the musical box to play when the circuitis closed through the cubes in the hand.

K is a circuit-breaker introduced into the apparatus for the purpose of preventing the battery running down, Figs. l, 4, and 5, and its function is to break the circuit after the musical box has been set in operation. It consists of a diskc, provided with a spring k', one end of which is attached to the disk and the other to the arbor on which the disk IOO IIO

rotates. A number of teeth k2 are on the ion 7a3, having two detents 7a4, located above and adapted to swing so as to clear the disk k.

L is a magnet. Z is its armature attached to a pivoted arm Z', journaled between centers Z2. The length of Z is such as to engage the detents 7a4, but swung in such a manner that when the magnet attracts its armature the end of the swinging arm Z will clear one of the detents and allow it to rotate with the pinion. The latter is placed on a rod ZW,

.which near its lower part is provided with two downwardly-projecting detents Z3, located below the upper detent 7a4. Directly under one of the lower detents Z3 is a rod Z4, passing through a guide Z5 and extending downward until it reaches and is loosely attached at Z6 to a lever Z7. This lever is provided at one end with a iiat piece Z8, which is located directly4 in the path of the coin-basket e. The other end of the lever Z7 may be provided with a weight Z9 to counterbalance the weight at the other end of the lever, and adjusted in Vsuch a manner as to keep the flattened ends tending upwardly. On the under side of the fiat end of the lever is a downwardly-projecting platinum wire Zw, which will descend into the mercury-cup Z11 when the actuating-coin falls upon the end of the lever.

The operation of the circuit-breaker rod Z4 is such that its upper end will arrest the revolution of the pinion by rising andcomingin contact with one of the downwardly-projecting detents As it does so the circuit will be broken by the platinum wire Z10 leaving' the mercury-cup ZH. Then the lower lever ZT is again depressed by a coin falling onto it, the circuit-breaker rod Z4 will descend, and one of the downwardly-projecting detents Z3 will immediately pass over it and remain upon it, because the upper detent k1 will be arrested by the end of the pivoted arm Z, which has been allowed to rise by the circuit being broken at the mercury-cup Zu. l

The device for carrying the articles forsale is shown in Fig. l, and consists of a plate M, having a number of cylindrical chambers m arranged in a circle around it and connected to it near its center, so as to leave the tread of the plate free. As herein shown, the de vice is more particularly adapted to hold cigars, or other articles of a like shape. The device is somewhat similar to the circuitbreaker K, but necessarily lacks the rod ZL1 and the detent under the pinion. The plate M is provided with a driving-spring m, one end of which is attached to the arbor m, on whichthe plate rotates, and the other to the plate itself.

A stationary plate P is placed beneath the rotating package-holder M, and prevents the articles in tubes m from falling out. This plate is cut away at p, making an opening which communicates with passage a.

The case Q, which incloses the packagea holder M, may be provided with a hinged lid q, (secured, of course,'by alock,) for the purpose of recharging when the receptacles are empty.

On the tread of the plate M is a rack (m2, engaging a pinion'ms, having two detents m4, similar to the detents 7a4. Two swinging pieces m5 and m6, journaled in centers, are arranged to engage the detent 'm4 at one end as an escapement, and have an armature m7 at the other end. Then the armature is attracted to the magnet, the piece m5 rises and allows one of the detents m4 to pass, while the next detent is arrested by the piece m6. When the circuit is broken and the armature leaves themagnet, the piece m6 will descend and the piece m5 arrest the same detent, thus allowing the pinion to make one-half of a revolution. The number of teeth on the pinion and on the rack on the tread of the plate M must be such that the section of plate allowed to move will be the width of one of the chambers.

N is an opening formed under the device carrying the articles for sale, through which they will fall one by one as the peripheral chambers are consecutively brought over it and register with it. The opening N leads by a channel n to a trough or ledge n", placed on the outside of the apparatus, and into which the article sold will be exposed to view.

O is a coin-slot through which the actuating-coin may be introduced.

o is a channel leading the coin to the coinbasket.

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A coin being introduced into the coin-slot o, it finds its way through the channel o and falls into the coin-basket. If the coin is of the correct value, its weight will depress the lever, and in so doing will rotate the rod in the tube, which in turn will oscillate the hand. Then the end of the lever carrying the coinbasket descends far enough, the coin will roll out of it by its own weight, and at the same time the circuit will be closed through the magnet operating the device for discharging one of the cigars, and the counter-balance at the end of the lever will bring the latter to its normal position. The weight of the counterbalance must necessarily be adjusted not only in relation to the weight of the coin to bring the lever back to normal position when the coin has left the basket, but must also allow for the inertia of the hand and the weight of the cubes in the box. Although no difficulty is experienced in causing the coin, when falling, to actuate the hand, some little adj ustment is requisite for the coin to carry the cqunter-balance upward, and at the same time to have sufficient power to rotate the rod and oscillate the hand. As the coin leaves the coin-basket it will strike the ilat end of the lower lever, which will necessarily be depressed and carry the platinum wire into the mercury-cup. As the lever and the mercurycup are included in the circuit, when the cubes display the combination of faces predetermined it will be evident that the circuit will IIO be closed through the electro-magnet of the musical box. The armature of the latter will therefore be attracted to it and allow the pinion-disk to make a half-revolution. lVhile it is doing this, however, the circuit will be broken and remain in that condition until another coin is introduced into the apparatus, when the hand will be set in motion once more. The time during which the circuit is closed is sufficiently long'to enable the musical box to be set in motion, and immediately after that takes place the box will continue to play until the detent again stops it.

The reason for providing a circuit-closer is `to give time to the cubes to stop after being shaken and assume the position which they would ultimately take before the circuit is closed; otherwise it is evident that the cubes might cause the circuit to be closed and then turn over and display some other face than the one desired. WVhenever the predetermined faces are displayed, the musical box will commence playing and afford amusement. This, with the curiosity inspired bythe oscillation of the hand and the cubes, will add an interest which asimple vending-machine does not usually possess. Vhether this takes place or not, after the hand has stopped oscillating, the apparatus will be ready to receive another coin and the whole operation be repeated. The angle at which the coin-lever remains when in normal position shouldbe practically the same as that at which the coin-channel leading to it is sloped, so that the coin will roll to the aperture in the back of the coinbasket. This will prevent any coin of less size than the right one from remaining in the basket, for the undesirable coin will roll through the aperture and fall to the bottom of the inclosingcasing Without affecting the mechanism.

'one of the articles contained therein each time a coin of determined value is deposited, and an oscillatory die-holder, also connected with said lever, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a package-holder, an electrically-controlled escapement therefor, an electric circuit, a coin actuated lever adapted to close the circuit at each reciprocation, and an oscillatory die-holder exposed to view on the outside of the apparatus and connected with said lever, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a package-holder, a coin-operated lever and intermediate connections for actuatingthe same, an oscillatory die-shaker connected therewith, an electric circuit having open terminals in the bottom of said shaker, and a die carrying a metal contact-piece adapted to close said circuit, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

HENRY GUSTAVE ROGERS.

Vitnesses:

PHILIP MAURO, A. M COYLE. 

